PULLHARDER,
All of your points are very valid and I would admit that if we were taken down the road of wearing helmets I would wear one, I have not had a go of the new lightweight ones yet...I think my time in with PLOD and HEMS the helmets were very good so if the have improved even further that would be good news.
I particularly take in your point about the PHI 76, also brings into question "Should the Engine Levers be in the Roof Quadrant at all" surely they would be better stowed away from not only the risk of Bird strikes but also inadvertent crew operation.
Several years ago while working at WY Plod My front seat obeserver being a tall man, wrestling with the FLIR controller managed to retard the N1 speed lever with.....wait for it...... THE HARD VISOR COVER ON HIS HELMET.
Me looking out the door window, usual during a search op with him FLIRRING across in the 2 O'Clock position, the first thing I notice apart from the change in noise as the donkey winds down, is we start plummetting (had to use that word at least once) into Leeds City Centre.
(The poor old 105 being a bit gutless on one donkey in those days). A bit of a brown trouser moment as I pointed the nose down at the city centre to get some flying speed and eventually climbed away on the remaining donkey.
Observer was meanwhile trying to disentangle his swede from the throttle quadrant.
The moral of this story is HELMETS CAN BE DANGEROUS when introduced without full and proper trials beforehand - just like any other piece of Hard stuff when carry into the cockpit.
The Observers name was ERIC (surname withheld) and he was an absolute top bloke...(If you read this ERIC - I still talk about your Fish and Chips as you are singularly responsible for the dramatic rise in my saturated FAT intake once you introduced me to the absolute culinary delight - WEST YORKSHIRE FISH AND CHIPS). needless to say we were able to have a good laugh about it later and come sun-up all hard visor covers were duly removed.
Are there any other PPRUNERS who have had the "West Yorkshire" Fish and Chip moment....LURVERRRRLY.